Cigarette lighter



April 13, 1957 YOSHIO KANAMARU 3,314,252

CIGARETTE LIGHTER 2 Sheets-Sheet '1 Filed June 7, 1966 FIG. 2

INVENTOR YOSHIO KANAMARU ATTORNEYS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR YOSHIO KANAMARU YOSHIO KANAMARU CIGARETTE LIGHTER April 18, 1967 Filed June 7, 1966 k ///7 mv M (it/5:22am: ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,314,252 CIGARETTE LIGHTER Yoshio Kanamaru, Sanbancho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan Filed June 7, 1966, Ser. No. 555,803 3 Claims. (Cl. 67--7.1)

The present invention relates generally to a lighter of the type in which liquefied petroleum gas is used as a fuel. In particular, the present invention concerns a novel burner off-on valve assembly and system for actuating same.

Prior patented butane cigarette lighters frequently employ, in addition to valve mechanism for regulating height of flame, an off-on valve element preventing leakage of fuel when lighter is not in use, i.e. lighter fingerpiece in idle position. It is often characteristic of these lighters that the force of snuffer cap exerts suflicient pressure to push ofi-on valve into closed position which in turn has prompted many inventors to conclude that such oifon valves must operate between inner closed position and outer open position. This relationship, such as disclosed in US. Patent 2,620,643 for example, has many inherent disadvantages from an operational standpoint.

Frequently, such off-on valves are raised to upper open position by fingerpiece actuating mechanism which may take the form of a lever underlying lighter fingerpiece and extending underneath sparking wheel to top of burner off-on valve. In such construction, as disclosed in US. Patent 2,571,435, the portion of lever located below fingerpiece is lowered while opposite end of lever and burner off-on valve is raised to open position.

Still other constructionshave been patented in which a cam mechanism formed as part of snufler cap engages a lever designed to raise burner off-on valve to open position. In this type of construction, as the lighter fingerpiece is depressed, snuffer cap and cam mechanism rotate thus forcing one end of lever downward while other end and associated burner off-on valve are raised to open position. This type of construct-ion is shown in Patent 2,671,328, for example.

Such lever and cam mechanisms are in themselves difficult and expensive to manufacture. Even more important is the additional time and expense required to install such mechanisms between lighter fingerpiece and Casing.

Experimentation has shown that abrupt termination of flow can best be achieved by employing reciprocating valve mechanism having a side port normally coverd by surrounding gasket such that when valve member is moved downwardly, gasket is twisted downwardly to expose the port. However, this type of valve construction is not readily adaptable to conventional lighter off-on valves in which valve is raised to open position.

Further, frequent difficulty is experienced in igniting fuel from burner which must be raised to open position since the direction of sparks may be below the top of burner nozzle. Thus, in this conventional construction, it is necessary to precisely regulate how high the burner nozzle is raised if proper ignition is to be achieved. Since the present burner nozzle moves downwardly to open position, the direction of sparking will always be sufficient to ignite fuel. That is, any portion of fuel above nozzle is available to be ignited.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to ensure against leakage of fuel during those times when lighter is inoperative by providing an off-on valve characterized by simplicity of construction and low cost of manufacture.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an "ice off-on burner valve characterized by its operation between inner open position and outer closed position.

A further object of the present invention is to ensure that direction of sparks will always ignite fuel as a result of moving burner nozzle downwardly to open position.

Still a further object of the present invention is to enable an off-on valve to be moved to inner open position by fingerpiece action without the necessity of employing complicated and expensive lever and cam mechanism.

Another object of the present invention is to permit the use of off-on valve mechanism with side port and sur rounding, downwardly movable gasket structure by operating between inner open position and outer closed position.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing specification and attached drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view illustrating conventional lighter construction including burner valve, fingerpiece and snuffer cap in conjunction with novel off-on valve in closed position and actuating mechanism.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the oif-on valve of FIG. 1 in open position;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of second embodiment offon valve eliminating the necessity of using a separate spring in burner housing, in conjunction with the second embodiment spring lever valve actuating mechanism; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view illustrating a third embodiment off-on valve in conjunction with a second embodiment spring actuating lever of FIG. 3.

As seen in FIG. 1, the upper casing structure of lighter is generally designated by reference numeral 10 and supports in conventional manner fingerpiece assembly 12, sparking wheel assembly 14 and snulfer cap assembly 16. Spring mechanism 18 is employed in a manner well known in the art to normally bias fingerpiece 12 in upper idle position. Extending upwardly from the top of casing 10 is flint tube 20 containing flint element 22. Further discussion of these basic lighter component-s is not considered necessary, such technology now being within the public domain, as well as the subject of numerous patents such as 3,184,931 for example.

Within snuifer cap '16 is located metal block 24, in place of the conventional resilient members of most snulfer caps which usually attempt to cover the burner nozzle in fluid-tight relationship.

As seen in FIG. 1, the burner valve assembly is generally designated by reference numeral and includes, in conventional manner, an outer stationary member 32 and an inner movable regulating member 34 between which is located porous material 36. Within the bottom of outer casing 32 is located port 38 while bore 40 extends upwardly within inner valve member 34. In this manner, as flame adjusting wheel 42 is rotated, inner valve member 34 moves relative to outer stationary member 32 through threaded section 35, thus varying pressure on porous member 36 and flow rate of fuel passing from lighter reservoir 39 through burner valve 30.

Positioned immediately above surface 44 of inner movable valve member 34 is off-on valve member 46 terminating upwardly in nozzle 26 having shoulder 43 around which is located actuating member 50. As will now be apparent, when fingerpiece 12 is in its normal raised position and snuffer cap 16 in its normal lowered position, metal block 24 pushes downwardly against upper end 51 of actuating member while the other end 52 of actuating member '50 raises nozzle 26 upwardly. When nozzle 26 of off-on valve element 46 is raised upwardly, port 54 is securely enclosed or blocked by resilient gasket 56. However, as fingerpiece 12 is depressed and snuffer cap 16 raised in conventional manner, contact of metal block 24 upon end 51 of actuating member 50 is released thus permitting off-on valve member 46 to move downwardly into open position under pressure of spring '58. As Offon member 46 moves downwardly, resilient gasket 56 bends or twists downwardly (FIG. 2) exposing port 54. Thus, when off-on valve 46 is in lower open position fuel is permitted to leave bore 40 and pass upwardly through passageway 41 into compartment 43 and then enter port 54 and pass to the top of nozzle 26 to point of ignition. Of course, it is obvious that spring assembly 18 of fingerpiece 12 must be sufficiently strong to overcome effects of spring 58.

As will now be apparent, off-on valve 46 is designed to operate between inner open position and upper closed position, as contrasted to the conventional technique of operating such valves between inner closed position and outer open position. Of even more importance is the ability to actuate off-on valve 46 without employing complicated lever and cam mechanism usually forming an integral part of fingerpiece and snuffer cap. Also, no burner valve actuating mechanism need be installed between fingerpiece and lighter casing. Finally, the advantages of employing horizontal port 54 and surrounding, downwardly twisting gasket 56 have been demonstrated. This valve arrangement is unusually well suited for abruptly halting fluid flow.

In FIG. 3 is illustrated a second embodiment of offon valve 46 in which the necessity of employing spring 58 (FIG. 1) is eliminated. In the second embodiment of FIG. 3, a spring lever 60 pivoted about pin 61 is employed which has sulficient resiilent capacity to exert downward pressure upon nozzle 26 through shoulder 27 as metal block 24' and snufier cap 16' are raised. Thus, when lighter fingerpiece is depressed and snuifer cap 16' raised, the resilient force of spring lever 60 pushes otf-on valve 46 downwardly into open position in similar manner to the first embodiment. When snuffer cap 16' is in closed position, as seen in FIG. 3, spring 60 is pushed downwardly by block 24 causing the right end 62 thereof to move upwardly against nozzle 26' forcing off-on valve 46 upwardly into closed position, i.e. port 54 blocked by resilient gasket 56.

Thus, in addition to the advantages of the otf-on valve construction of FIG. 1, it is now possible with spring lever 60 to move off-on valve 46 between inner open position and outer closed position without the necessity of employing a separate spring element tending normally to push off-on valve downwardly into open position.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, spring lever actuating mechanism 60 is now employed in conjunction with third embodiment ofif-on valve 46", characterized by resilient gasket '56" inserted within recess 64 of inner movable valve element 34". Thus, as the resilient force of spring lever 60 pushes off-on valve 46" downwardly when snuffer cap 16" moves upwardly, resilient gasket 56" remains stationary in position, as contrasted to the bending or twisting action of gasket 56 in FIG. 1. By using the flat sealing member 56" of FIG. 4, it is now necessary to employ O-ring seal 64 at the mid-portion of off-on valve member 46" to prevent upper leakage of fuel.

Manifestly, variation in arrangement and configuration of lighter components may be envisioned without departing from spirit and scope of invention as defined by subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. A gas fueled lighter, comprising:

(A) a casing having a reservoir constructed to hold fuel under pressure;

(B) a burner valve assembly attached to said casing, said assembly being in communication with said reservoir;

(C) a fingerpiece, snuffer cap and spark producing mechanism mounted on said casing, said cap including a block portion;

(D) an off-on valve mechanism located within said burner valve assembly, said mechanism including a reciprocating valve stem containing a passageway terminating at the top thereof in a first port and at one side thereof in a second port, resilient sealing means mounted within said valve assembly in covering relationship with respect to said second side port when said off-on valve mechanism is in upper closed position and in downwardly twisted uncovering relationship with respect to said second side port when said off-on valve mechanism is in lower open position;

(E) an actuating assembly for moving said otI-on valve mechanism to outer closed position, said actuating assembly including an angular element having a first end normally engaged and pushed downwardly by said block portion of said snutfer cap when said fingerpiece is in raised idle positon and a second end engagng said valve stem of said oif-on valve such that when said first end is pushed downwardly said second end and engaged valve stem of said otf-on valve mechanism are moved upwardly to closed position; and

(F) means for biasing said off-on valve mechanism in lower open position when said first end of said element is not engaged by said block portion of said snuffer cap.

2. A gas fueled lighter as in claim 1, wherein said means for biasing said off-on valve mechansm downwardly into open position is a spring member located within and supported by said burner valve assembly and exerting downward pressure against said off-on valve mechanism.

3. A gas fueled lighter as in claim 1, wherein said means for biasing said off-on valve mechanism in lower open position constitutes a resiliently curved spring forming said first end of said angular element of said actuating assembly, said element further being pivotably mounted upon said lighter.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,594,755 4/1952 Felt 677.l 2,671,328 3/1954 Flamm 677.l 3,277,674 10/1966 Kleein et al 67-7.1

EDWARD J. MICHAEL, Primary Examiner. 

1. A GAS FUELED LIGHTER, COMPRISING: (A) A CASING HAVING A RESERVOIR CONSTRUCTED TO HOLD FUEL UNDER PRESSURE; (B) A BURNER VALVE ASSEMBLY ATTACHED TO SAID CASING, SAID ASSEMBLY BEING IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID RESERVOIR; (C) A FINGERPIECE, SNUFFER CAP AND SPARK PRODUCING MECHANISM MOUNTED ON SAID CASING, SAID CAP INCLUDING A BLOCK PORTION; (D) AN OFF-ON VALVE MECHANISM LOCATED WITHIN SAID BURNER VALVE ASSEMBLY, SAID MECHANISM INCLUDING A RECIPROCATING VALVE STEM CONTAINING A PASSAGEWAY TERMINATING AT THE TOP THEREOF IN A FIRST PORT AND AT ONE SIDE THEREOF IN A SECOND PORT, RESILIENT SEALING MEANS MOUNTED WITHIN SAID VALVE ASSEMBLY IN COVERING RELATIONSHIP WITH RESPECT TO SAID SECOND SIDE PORT WHEN SAID OFF-ON VALVE MECHANISM IS IN UPPER CLOSED POSITION AND IN DOWNWARDLY TWISTED UNCOVERING RELATIONSHIP WITH RESPECT TO SAID SECOND SIDE PORT WHEN SAID OFF-ON VALVE MECHANISM IS IN LOWER OPEN POSITION; 